Venkatesh Iyer grabbed attention in the IPL 2026 clash between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru not only for his explosive batting but also for a celebration inspired by Tamil superstar Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathy Vijay.

The all-rounder produced a sensational unbeaten knock of 73 runs from just 40 deliveries, striking at 182.50 as RCB piled up a commanding total of 222/4. His innings featured eight boundaries and four towering sixes, keeping the momentum firmly with Bengaluru throughout the innings.

The six that brought the stadium alive

One of the biggest moments of the match arrived in the 16.3 over when Venkatesh Iyer faced Lockie Ferguson.

Ferguson delivered a good-length ball aimed at the stumps, but Venkatesh quickly moved away to create room before hammering a stunning drive over the mid-off region. The ball comfortably cleared the boundary ropes for six.

The shot carried extra significance as it brought up his maiden half-century of IPL 2026 and also marked the 13th fifty of his IPL career.

The timing, confidence and power behind the stroke immediately sent the crowd into celebration mode.

Thalapathy Vijay-inspired celebration steals the spotlight

Moments after reaching his fifty, Venkatesh Iyer broke into a celebration that fans instantly linked to Thalapathy Vijay.

The stylish pose and familiar mannerisms quickly became a talking point among supporters inside the stadium and across social media platforms, with many praising the cricketer for the unexpected tribute.

The celebration added extra energy to an already high-intensity contest between PBKS and RCB.

Venkatesh Iyer finding rhythm in IPL 2026

The unbeaten 73 came in Venkatesh Iyer’s fourth appearance of the season.

So far in IPL 2026, he has scored 114 runs at a strike rate of 162.86. His tally already includes one half-century, along with 10 fours and six sixes.

The innings against Punjab Kings also signalled that the RCB batter is regaining top form and looks ready to play a major role for the franchise this season.

Playing XIs for PBKS vs RCB IPL 2026 match

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing XI

Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma (w/c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

RCB Impact Subs

Rasikh Salam Dar, Jordan Cox, Abhinandan Singh, Swapnil Singh, Kanishk Chouhan

Punjab Kings Playing XI

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

PBKS Impact Subs

Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey